A Site That Focuses On The History of the Chicago Cubs!
Written by Rick Kaempfer, the author of "everycubever"
(Eckhartz Press, 2019) https://eckhartzpress.com/shop/everycubever/ The book is literally about Every Cub Ever. The website is a companion piece to that voluminous book.
December 2, 1965: Cubs acquire Bill Hands and Randy Hundley December 3: In 1971, Cubs acquire Jose Cardenal…In 2003, Cubs sign LeTroy Hawkins. December 4, 2002: Cubs trade Todd Hundley for Grudzielanek and Karros December 5, 1987: Cubs trade Palmeiro, Moyers and others for Mitch Williams Decemb...
~Johnny Schmitz 1920 (Cubs 1941-1951) He was nicknamed Bear Tracks because of his lumbering shuffle to the mound. Schmitz was only twenty when he was called up to the majors, and pitched two seasons for the Cubs, but was drafted to serve in World War II in 1942. Bear Tracks was one of the rare [&hell...
October 23, 1886 The Cubs finished up the World Series. The 1886 National League team from Chicago was known as the White Stockings–it would be another fifteen years before the Cubs name emerged. But they were a powerhouse team; the defending champions. Led by their first baseman/manager Cap An...
~Chuck Klein 1904–1958 (Cubs 1934-1935) Chuck Klein had two great nicknames: “The Hoosier Hammer” and “The Clouting Kraut.” The Hoosier part of his nickname came from his Indiana roots, and the Kraut part, of course, came from his German heritage. Needless to say, the hammer and clouting parts ...
~Jay Baller 1960– (Cubs 1985-1987) He pitched out of the Cubs bullpen for three seasons (’85-’87) and got progressively worse each season (3.46 ERA, 5.37 ERA, 6.35 ERA). After the ’87 season, the Cubs sent him packing. He later had a cup of coffee with the Royals and the Phillies. (Photo: Topps...
September 21, 1919 Grover Cleveland Alexander takes the mound against the Boston Braves. Ol’ Pete has had a season for the ages, shutting out every single team in the league at least once. With the season coming to a close, and both teams out of the pennant picture, Alexander bears down and takes car...
September 12, 1998 Sammy Sosa becomes the first Cubs player to hit 60 home runs in a season. He does it in the sixth inning of wild slugfest against Milwaukee Brewers reliever Valerio de los Santos. Sammy’s homer is memorable, but it isn’t the most dramatic homer of the game. On a day the...
August 29, 1918 The Cubs clinched the National League pennant with a double-header sweep of the Cincinnati Reds. Lefty Tyler wins his 18th game in the opener, and Claude Hendrix wins his 20th game in the nightcap. It is the earliest any team in National League history clinched a pennant, but that rec...
August 22, 1982 The Cubs retire the first number in franchise history: #14 in honor of Mr. Cub, Ernie Banks. No-one had worn #14 since Ernie retired as a coach in 1973, but by raising the #14 flag the Cubs make it official. In the lineup for the Cubs that day is a rookie third […]...
~Leo Durocher 1905–1991 (Cubs manager 1965-1972) How did people really feel about Leo Durocher? A quote from Jack Brickhouse: “In the early days Leo was an SOB, but a sharp SOB. By the time he finished in Chicago he was just an old SOB.” Suffice it to say, Leo was not beloved. When he was [&hel...